Simplifying Franchising with Simply Cabinetry with Diana Simmons

0:01Boom! Shake the room, Fire Nation! JLD here and welcome to Entrepreneurs on Fire! brought to you by High Level, the all-in-one sales and marketing platform. Today, we'll be breaking down how to simplify franchising with simple cabinetry. To drop these vibe bombs, I brought Diana Simmons into EO Fire Studios. Diana is the CEO and co-founder of Simply Cabinetry, and she transformed a garage setup into a thriving franchise, redefining cabinetry through simplicity, quality, and community, blending design, passion, business acumen, and family-driven leadership. And today, we talk about simplifying franchising, the power of the lean model, how to become streamlined to win, community at the core, and oh, so much more.

0:41And a big thank you for sponsoring today's episode goes to Diana and our sponsors. Here's something most of us don't think about until it's a problem, our phone service. Cape is a privacy-first mobile carrier built from the ground up with security as the priority. If you care about protecting your digital life without giving up your smartphone, Cape makes that possible. Visit cape.co forward slash fire and use code fire for 33 % off Cape for six months today. Are you ready for the ultimate all-in-one platform for entrepreneurs, marketers, coaches, and agencies? Build funnels, automate follow-ups, manage clients, and even white label your own software.

1:20Say hello to our featured partner, High Level, and visit highlevelfire.com to start your free trial today. Diana, say what's up to Fire Nation and share something that you believe about becoming successful that most people disagree with. Hi, everybody. Thanks so much for having me. I've actually thought a lot about this when you said that. I just don't think success is about doing more. It's almost about doing less better. So most people think complexity feels like progress, but we've grown by stripping away everything that doesn't move the customers or P &L. So fewer offerings, fewer steps, fewer handoffs.

2:05When you remove noise, you create speed and consistency. And really, in reality, that creates success. Well, that is the theme of our episode today here at Fire Nation, simplifying franchising with simply cabinetry. And I want to talk about that. I want to talk about simplifying franchising I think a lot of people take a step back and they're like, man, it's probably pretty complicated. There's probably a lot of steps. There's probably a lot of overwhelm. But your franchise model, it focuses on simplifying what, again, is often looked at at least as a very complex industry. So break it down for us.

2:38What does simplifying franchising mean to you? And how does Simply Cabinetry make that a reality for the owners? Great question. So to us, simple means something that's repeatable by humans on real weeks. So real people, real days, real everyday life, right? So we've moved the hardest part of kitchen and bath by doing no installs, no crews, no warehousing, no construction, and really made it so that the owners focus on relationships, designs, and sales. We also give them a very clear playbook defined by product lines, step-by-step sales flows, a CRM system, And basically the training that they need to be delivered in three ways with the LMS system in person and on the job.

3:24So it actually sticks. So when you encompass all of that, it really just simplifies everything down to the basics of what you need to know to be successful. So this is the lean model. And I want to talk specifically about the power of that, the power of the lean model, because you have managed to remove the heavy overhead. I mean, you just talked about it. I mean, that heavy overhead comes from kitchen and bath business. We're talking no inventory. We're talking no contractors on payroll. I mean, this is the lean of the lean. Why? Why was this lean approach so essential to your vision specifically, Diana?

4:02Yeah. So, I mean, a lot of times overhead could really kill optionality, right? And it's just like the more you have, the more you need to manage, the more you need to direct, the more cash flow you need. But when you're having a model that it's really you're only buying what you've already sold and just becoming that partner in the area, it really is a lean model that protects your cash, shortens ramp time, and lets the owner scale by appointments booked, not cruise higher. And when you partner with that B2B and the local pros, vendors, the franchisees can be that trusted design and selection hub without the fixed costs that usually come with ownership at night, like keep them up at night.

4:40So it's really creating that lean model that protects what's important. Now, a lot of people talk the talk, but I want to talk about walking the walk. Support that actually supports. So we're talking about franchisees specifically here. So they say, and by they, it's franchisees, they often say that support, it makes or breaks their business. So, of course, that support is critical. What specifically does Simply Cabinetry do differently to set up new owners with confidence from day one? Yeah, so I think the biggest thing with us is from day one, we really want to start getting them hitting the ground running as soon as possible.

5:23So it's really starting training them on the basics and having them open up their calendar so then they can start getting their lead generation going with like scripts, local outreach and getting those first appointments booked so then they can start hitting the ground running. But within like the first 90 days, you really have those weekly cadence with coaches helping you with live deals, pricing and any roadblocks you might come across. And it's having that right tooling with the CRM templates, the quoting standards and like sample language that really helps talk through those moments of client, those tough sales, how to talk through it, how to reduce like the your clients that you can't get those over those hurdles and any tough clients when you get into those tough situations.

6:04And it's also just having access to my husband and I, which are the founders, and really having those real humans being able to talk to you on day to day so you know that they've already been through it and they can really help you get through those tough situations. And Diana, take a step back because our listeners love case studies. They love real world examples. So what's an example of maybe one of your franchisees, maybe in the past six months, maybe the past six, sorry, one year where, you know, they just, they took a chance and they joined up and they went, they went with you. They went with the support that you provide with the lean model.

6:41Talk to us about their story. Like, what did that look like? Share that experience. Yeah, so it's all about people starting off by having that passion for what we kind of do, you know, having that passion for that interior design or that the spaces in real estate and taking those people that have that passion and just helping them mold and understand how to take it and make it into a successful business that is really lean on a team and inventory. but yeah so I mean we've had people that have worked up from being like a doctor's office and being like a receptionist where she just had that passion for doing real estate and everything and she really wanted to do something for her own and just didn't feel like she could do it on her own but essentially we were able to help her get trained quickly and efficiently and honestly our showrooms are really built so that it's easy to almost for the customers to self-shop so if a customer can self-shop then somebody learning and being trained can also learn as they go so it's really, if we can teach that client, because we sell through education.

7:37So if we could teach that client, we should be able to be taught in the showrooms as we're going. So helping them understand and being there at those touch points on those crucial first big sales, creating those designed and making sure they're coached through the do's and don'ts of design and getting them up and running and being that community member going into like, like the chamber of commerce, meeting with different builders, contractors, and focusing on one aspect at a time and really getting good at it and honing in is what was like key in that relationship. But she's hit the ground running and she's really doing well.

8:12And she's, and the best part is when they talk about how much fun they're having doing it and how excited they are. Now, has she had prior experience in cabinetry? Not really, just some DIY projects and that sort of thing. So it's just, honestly, we like taking people that just really have that passion. You don't necessarily need to know that much about cabinetry because we, that's our job to teach you how to do all of that stuff the way that we do it correctly. Cause we're not all about sitting there trying to make the most elaborate design and chalk everything that we can into this design. It's really starting at the base and the core of the kitchen and the design and then building and showing the client how and what the options are and building it up from there.

8:51So at that same token, then the client learns. And then we could also teach the staff on how to just sell up. That's why I've always loved franchises in general, because Fire Nation, you're getting a proven model. This is something that's working somewhere, maybe in a lot of places. So why can't it work where you are? And you get the support, you get the guidance, you get the mentorship. It's so key. And we're going to be talking about streamlined to win, community at the core, creativity, meeting strategy, and oh, so much more when we get back from thanking our sponsors. Here's something most of us don't think about until it's a problem, our phone service.

9:27The big carriers, AT &T, Verizon, and T-Mobile have made headlines over and over for data breaches, tracking, and selling customer data. And the wild part is, even if you use things like VPNs or encrypted apps, that doesn't protect you at the cellular level. Stuff like SIM swaps, call interception, and silent tracking can still happen behind the scenes. That's where CAPE comes in. CAPE is a privacy-first mobile carrier built from the ground up with security as the priority. It works like any premium self-service you're already used to, but without collecting a bunch of personal data they don't need.

9:56In fact, Cape doesn't even ask for your name or address when you sign up. They can't sell what they don't collect. Cape also protects you from SIM swap attacks, offers encrypted texting and voicemail, and even rotates the behind-the-scenes identifiers tied to your phone, making it much harder for anyone to track you over time. It's real network-level privacy, something apps alone just can't do. If you care about protecting your digital life without giving up your smartphone, Cape makes that possible. Visit cape.co forward slash fire and use code fire for 33 % off Cape for six months today. Okay, let's talk about a platform that's completely changing how entrepreneurs are running their business.

10:32And they are also our featured partner, HighLevel. If you're an entrepreneur, coach, agency, or course creator looking to grow faster and smarter, HighLevel is the all-in-one platform that replaces your entire tech stack. Seriously, think ClickFunnels, Calendly, MailChimp, Kajabi, and even your CRM all rolled up into one powerful white label solution. You can build funnels, send SMS and email campaigns, schedule appointments, manage pipelines, run memberships, and even launch your own branded mobile app. It's drag and drop simple, incredibly customizable, and built for serious growth. My favorite part, you can resell high level under your own brand.

11:08That means recurring revenue, loyal clients, and total control. So whether you're tired of duct taping tools together or ready to start offering high value services with ease, High Level is your unfair advantage. On top of it all, their support team is second to none and has your back every step of the way. Seriously, every question that pops up, they will have your answer waiting. And if you visit my special partnership link, you'll get a free trial. So visit highlevelfire.com to start your free trial and see why thousands of businesses are switching. That's highlevelfire.com, where marketing, sales, and automation finally come together.

11:45High level, join the revolution. Diana, we're back. And as I kind of teased before the break, I want to talk about streamlined to win. I mean, you recently, this is quite recent, narrowed your product offering to make design choices both faster and easier, which of course is the theme of this episode. So how has that simplification helped both your customers and your franchisees? Yeah, so this was like a big win for us because essentially we've really already seen the proof in the pudding. But choice is great, churn is not. And previously when we had so many different manufacturers, it was just so much work and we were competing within our own showroom.

12:23So we organized it into what we call is our simple premium luxury, which is similar to like a good, bad or best selection by depth, not just price. That cuts out decision time, reduces redesigns and makes pricing consistent. So customers feel guided and franchisees move faster with fewer errors. So it's just simpler menus creating bigger ticket prices because clients clearly see the step ups. So it's all that graduated process that it really just creates clarity for everybody. And cabinetry can be confusing and overwhelming. So we just really needed to simplify it. Choice is great. Churn is not.

12:59I mean, Fire Nation, that is a writer downer. I hope that you definitely understand how powerful that can be for you and your business. no matter what that is. I mean, man, I will tell you, Diana, it is so brutal to see how churn just kills businesses in every way, shape and form. We're talking employee. I mean, they come in, your employees, you train them, they become great. And then they leave because you're not supporting in the right way. I mean, churn comes in a lot of different forms. It will kill your business. So choice is great. Churn is not. So let's talk about community at the core.

13:29I mean, you mentioned a few things already, but community seems to be at the heart of simply cabinetry's culture. So how do franchisees get involved locally, like the Chamber of Commerce that you mentioned? And why is that such an important part of this brand? Well, I mean, essentially, we are like relationship first. The owners really need to engage with realtors, builders, designers. And usually those people are actually going to those chambers and neighborhood associations because they want to build their relationships. So in turn, we're really trying to make those connections with the people that are in everybody's home day to day and building those relationships.

14:05So then when it comes down to it, you know, the sale is so much easier. The transfer of trust has already happened. So building those relationships and us being their go-to cabinetry person is really what builds it and makes it an easier sale. But we've given, we have like a monthly micro events kit for doing like open houses, lunch and learns, you know, pizza with the pros and sample swaps. But it's all about creating that referral flywheel. So B2B partners look like heroes to their clients because we're the ones helping them for their project. So Community Trust lowers that acquisition cost and drives repeat and referral business for years.

14:45Now, this is a little off topic, but I'm just curious because I'm picturing somebody listening right now and they're just like, this sounds really interesting. I love the support, the simplicity, all this stuff. But what approximately does the first 90 days look like? I mean, don't take us through every single day. We're not looking to get super deep in the weeds here, but like just on like a very broad aerial view. Like if somebody is a start, like that woman that you shared about earlier, what is like the first 90 days? Like what are people doing? What's the goal? What are you hoping to accomplish?

15:14What do you have for them there? Well, beyond training, like from once they open their location, it's all about building those relationships in the community, calling out. And we actually get full lists of all the contractors and builders in the area. So then we already start marketing to them day one and they can build those relationships and start fostering those because everybody's looking for that cabinet guy. You know, big box stores don't create those relationships. You're going to go in there. You're not going to know if somebody is from plumbing that day. And there's other places that provide cabinetry, but then they do install.

15:45So then it's competition for them, essentially. So those guys really need that that extension of their business. So it's all about building those relationships, making sure the share room is staffed up to date so that it can be like that open house feel. So you want customers to be able to walk in the door so that they don't feel like it's intimidated, like it's some random house on the side of the road, like you see some of the kitchen and bath on mom, pa shops. So you want to make it feel like, hey, I'm going to get most today. I might just walk in a little bit and just see what's here. And then all of a sudden it might spark some interest.

16:16and it's just all about meeting and greeting those customers, giving them tours. And it's all about that cadence of building those relationships over time. Like you don't want to go and hit every single builder from day one, but you want to focus on certain B2B models one at a time so that you can really hone in and get it done correctly and build up that network without overwhelming yourself because it can become overwhelming if you don't do it the right way. But it's all about building those relationships, designing those kitchens, and helping them get to that end goal quickly and efficiently.

16:49But it's all about being in the showroom, meeting with the B2B, meeting with their coaches and making sure they're doing everything that they need to do correctly. And, you know, it's just taking off from there. I mean, it is about doing it the right way, Fire Nation, and it can really feel overwhelming, which is why it's so awesome when you have a plan in place, a step-by-step proven process and system to follow. And I want to move on to where creativity meets strategy because you've described the business as both creative and strategic. So how do you help franchisees balance the design passion with business performance?

17:25Right. So that is what's kind of tricky because there are a lot of people that are really design focused and it's hard to help people get that business mentality when they are so one sided brain. So it's really about making that creativity a system. So then they know how to follow that system with the creativity that they have. So, you know, designers, we definitely have like guardrails. We try to create some room templates. So then you kind of have a space and you know kind of how to get that started with standards for appliance clearances and upgrade ladders. So they spend their energy on the story of the space with the client rather than reinventing the space necessarily.

18:01So on the business side, we track three KPIs, which is like the qualified lead, the closing rate, and the profitability. If any of those numbers dip, we coach them specifically on the steps of the sales flow in order to make that better. But it's with like art and math kind of side by side, which is something that is unique. What gets measured gets improved, Fire Nation. And a lot of business owners, they don't even know what to measure. So if they're not measuring anything or they don't know what to measure correctly, the KPIs, the key performance indicators, it's never going to improve. Like what gets measured gets improved.

18:34And that's what Diana's bringing to the table is she's saying, okay, we're getting a little dip here. Let's focus on that KPI specifically, get it back to baseline, because that's key. That's important. That moves the needle. So for anybody right now, Diana, who's listening and they're considering franchising as their next chapter. What is one mindset shift? Let's talk mindset for a second here that will give them the strongest start on day one. I would say it's pick one channel and master it. I actually heard somebody say one time, don't boil the ocean, you know? So decide I'm going to go for realtors or builders or designers that day.

19:10Then commit to those three touches that day. Introduce yourself, follow up, invite them to come into the showroom. And then that consistency will always beat the intensity and success isn't a sprint. It takes time and it's like a cadence, you know, so it's really focusing and honing in on one thing and building it and making it perfect instead of focusing on so many different aspects and overwhelming yourself. Don't try to boil the ocean. I love that. It's also like how the heck do you eat an elephant? Well, it's one bite at a time It's just one bite at a time and the martin luther king quote to finish it all You don't have to see the whole staircase to take the next step.

19:48Then that's okay Just take that next step. So diana We had a lot of great conversations today around everything that you're doing and franchising and all that jazz if Fire Nation wants to connect with you, wants to learn more about what you have going on, what is your call to action for our listeners today? Yeah, you can email me at Diana at simplycabinetry.com. You can find me on LinkedIn. It's Diana Simmons CFE, or reach out to me on Instagram or any of my socials. I'm on there, Simply Tall Diana. You'll find me. Fire Nation, you're the average of the five people you spend the most time with.

20:22you've been hanging out with DS and JLD today. So keep up that heat. And for links to everything we talked about today, visit eofire.com, type Diana in the search bar and the show notes page will pop right up. So Diana, thank you for sharing your truth, your knowledge, your value with Fire Nation today. For that, we salute you and we'll catch you on the flip side. Thanks, John. Hey, Fire Nation, a huge thank you to our sponsors and Diana for sponsoring today's episode. And Fire Nation, don't let another 90 day slip by. inside my community, the Freedom Circle. Entrepreneurs are building real freedom with proven playbooks and community support.

20:59Claim your spot now at freedom-circle.com. Freedom-circle.com. I'll catch you there or on the flip side. Here's something most of us don't think about until it's a problem. Our phone service. Cape is a privacy-first mobile carrier built from the ground up with security as the priority. If you care about protecting your digital life without giving up your smartphone, Cape makes that possible. Visit cape.co forward slash fire and use code fire for 33 % off Cape for six months today. Are you ready for the ultimate all-in-one platform for entrepreneurs, marketers, coaches, and agencies? Build funnels, automate follow-ups, manage clients, and even white label your own software.

21:43Say hello to our featured partner, High Level, and visit highlevelfire.com to start your free trial today.